The Magical Devices of Harry Potter

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What wonderful toys he has!

By Jesse Schedeen

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been out in wide release for less than a week, but already it has become one of the biggest movies of the year. We worried nothing could revive Potter-mania after the release of the final book, but luckily, we feel that love for Hogwarts burning as strongly as ever.

Most of our Harry Potter coverage has focused on the titular wizard and his allies and enemies. However, his world is one of many strange wonders, and today we're exploring those in greater depth. In this feature, we take a look at the many magical devices that have played a role in the Potter stories, from the famous Invisibility Cloak to more recent examples like the Pensieve and the Room of Requirement.

And as always, feel free to join in on the Potter-mania by posting your favorite magical devices in the comments section below.

The Invisibility Cloak: This cloak renders the wearer completely invisible, as long as their body remains covered. Many invisibility cloaks exist in the wizarding world, but Harry's is unusually powerful. Only the most talented of wizards can see through its facade.

A Magical History: Harry was given the Invisibility Cloak shortly after arriving at Hogwarts in his first year. The attached note said only that it belonged to Harry's father. Harry used it to navigate the halls of Hogwarts in secret, often with Ron and Hermione in tow. Without the cloak, Harry and friends would never have solved the mystery of the Sorcerer's Stone and foiled Voldemort's plot.

Harry eventually learned that it was Dumbledore who had passed him the cloak. It remains a vital tool during all of Harry's years at Hogwarts. Though it has occasionally been used for mischief, in general Harry has never made the mistake of abusing the power of the cloak. It wasn't until the final book that he discovered the true nature of the cloak and how it played into his destiny, however.

The Sorcerer's Stone: The Sorcerer's Stone is the fabled alchemist's rock that can grant the user infinite life, as well as turn ordinary metal into gold. It was invented by Nicholas Flamel long before the days of Harry Potter.

A Magical History: The Sorcerer's Stone became the object of Voldemort's desire during Harry's first year at Hogwarts. The weakened Voldemort was forced to share space inside Professor Quirrel's head, drinking unicorn blood to maintain even that fractured existence. The Stone's power was enough to restore Voldemort to full health.

In the end, Harry managed to withhold the stone and prevent Voldemort from returning. Though the dark wizard would return eventually, Harry had bought the world some valuable time. Dumbledore decided the stone needed to be destroyed, even though it would mean the death of its centuries-old creator, Nicholas Flamel.